I‘ve been doing this race reporting thing a long time and I cannot remember a time when a race team owner stayed by the side of his injured race driver for the duration of a hospital stay for injuries suffered in a motorsports event.

This is the No. 99 Corvette DP Memo Gidley was driving in the Rolex 24 before the crash.

It may have happened at some point along the way over the last 30 years, but I don’t remember a car owner making camp in Daytona Beach to stay near and comfort an injured driver.

So this is a kudos, shout out, tip-of-the-hat and attaboy to Bob Stallings, who owns the No. 99 Corvette Daytona Prototype that looked like it had fallen into can crusher after his driver Memo Gidley made hard contact with the back end of a limping Ferrari at infield kink during the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 25.

The infield kink is the part of the Daytona International Speedway course that connects the two horseshoe turns. As a driver exits the International horseshoe turn, the asphalt makes a slight kink to the left before the west horseshoe turn.

Gidley was probably up towards the 130 mph mark when he came upon the disabled Ferrari, limping along the far left-hand side of the track surface.

The 43-year-old driver suffered a variety of injuries, mostly to his lower extremities, and was in surgery at Halifax Health Medical Center only hours after the violent-looking incident. He had surgery to his left leg, heel and arm and back since the horrific-looking crash.

Gidley was released from Halifax Wednesday night and loaded on an airplane for his home in California where he will continue his recovery and begin his rehabilitation.

Gidley was never alone at Halifax. Stallings, who lives in Texas, was at the hospital every day. Stallings basically made camp at the medical facility. He planted his stake soon after Gidley was admitted and vowed not to leave until his driver was stabilized and could be transported.

“I’m extremely happy and relieved to see Memo taking the next step in his recovery process,” Stallings said in a release from the No. 99 GAINSCO Racing team. “Memo has been stabilized enough so he can make the flight to northern California and be transferred to another medical facility which has a very capable protocol for handling the types of injuries and recovery process that Memo requires. The doctors and nurses from Halifax have done a terrific job in getting him to this point, and I know that Memo is appreciative of it and everything that has been done on his behalf.”

Stallings staying in Daytona Beach until Gidley’s release speaks volumes of this car owner’s values, character and respect for his drivers. Staying with an injured driver isn’t in the car owner playbook. It looks like Stallings has revised the owner’s manual.

Fans and friends can continue to send well wishes to Gidley on www.GAINSCORacing.com/All4Memo or using #All4Memo on Twitter or Facebook. The team says updates and additional details on Gidley’s recovery will be provided in the near future.